Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania, 2008-2010

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The Allegheny County Police Department is composed of more than 240 officers and 50 civilians in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Salaries and benefits

Salaries

Sunshine Review reviewed Allegheny County Police salaries from 2008-2011, examining the county government positions earning more than $150,000. The information was gathered from county data after Sunshine Review filed a public records request. Allegheny officials sent data for 2008-2010. In that time, only one employee in the county police department earned over $150,000, according to data provided by the county. Prior to 2010, the individual's salary was below that threshold.

No information was provided about Police Superintendent Charles Moffat's salary. Christopher Kearns, the police inspector, earned $151,986.97 in 2010. Kearns is in charge of the county's jails.

The entire payroll for 2009 is available at WTAE Pittsburgh.

Benefits

Sunshine Review requested information on benefits packages provided for Allegheny County employees, but county officials did not respond to the request.

Phone use

Sunshine Review requested information on cellular telephones and other mobile devices issued by the county police department to its employees, including the number of devices issued and the costs of those monthly plans. However, Allegheny County Police did not respond to this request.

Car use

Sunshine Review requested information on automobiles issued by the county police department to its employees, including the number of automobiles allowed to be driven home and the costs of maintaining the vehicles. However, Allegheny County Police did not respond to this request.

Salary records project

In 2011, Sunshine Review chose 152 local governments as the focus of research on public employee salaries. The editors of Sunshine Review selected eight states with relevant political contexts (listed alphabetically):

1. California
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Michigan
5. New Jersey
6. Pennsylvania
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin

Within these states, the editors of Sunshine Review focused on the most populous cities, counties and school districts, as well as the emergency services entities within these governments. The purpose of this selection method was to develop articles on governments affecting the most citizens.

The salary information garnered from these states were a combination of existing online resources and state Freedom of Information Act requests sent out to the governments.

A study published by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia said the city of Philadelphia faced challenges owing to the cost of public employee pensions. The report claimed the amount that Philadelphia paid to pension recipients limited the city’s ability to use its budget effectively.

The report said there were more individuals receiving pension benefits—33,907 claimants in 2006—than workers in the city—28,701. The authors recommended three steps towards addressing the problem of high costs in pensions: improved data collection, expanded transparency initiatives, and reductions to the city's overall budget.

Salary schedules can be published as ranges, not as specific compensation figures, and may leave out compensation received through health and retirement benefits, as well as benefits such as commuter allowances and cell phone reimbursements. This project aimed to close the gap and provide a more accurate picture of public employee salaries for the sake of public education and transparency.

See also

• Pennsylvania local government salary: Law enforcement
• Allegheny County employee salaries
• Pennsylvania state government salary
• Pennsylvania
• Public employee salary

External links

 

• Allegheny County Police Department
• Montgomery County Sheriff's Department
• State Budget Solutions -- Pennsylvania